Consumer Market Dominates European Semiconductor Manufacturing

‘Quite unlike the position in the United States, the European scene in transistors and diodes is at present dominated by the demand of the domestic side of the industry, notably for transistorised portable radio receivers.’

So, 50 years ago, starts a piece written by Dennis Riley, MA, PhD, FRIC from Intertechnical Consultants in the February 1st 1961 edition of EW.

The story continues:

‘The import of Japanese receivers being largely restricted by tariffs and quotas, a huge market exists which is being satisfied almost entirely by domestic manufacture.’

‘Semiconductor production has, therefore, recently been concentrating on satisfying this demand. On the other hand, the demand for military types is virtually negligible.’

Riley goes on to point out that US semiconductor firms like TI, Philco, GE, Raytheon, Clevite, RCA, IR, Westinghouse, Transitron and Hughes were eyeing up the possibilities of investing in semiconductor manufacturing in Europe but, he concludes:’ Successful new entry is going to be extremely difficult.’